Carpet-stretcher.



No. 782,094. PATENTED FEB. 7, 1905. J. S. WOODCOCK.

CARPET STRETOHER.

urmonxon mum ma. 7, 1904.

Till!" WITNESSES: I 5; INVENTOR 67577769 ZOOQCOCK WWW ATTO RN EYJ Patented February '7 1905.

PATENT @EEicE.

JAMES S. \YOODGOCK, OF NlHV LEXINGTON, OHIO.

CARPET-STRETCHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 782,094, dated February 7, 1905.

Application filed March 7,1904. Serial No. 196,795.

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Be it known that l. Janus S. \Voonoook, a citizen of the United Statesa'esiding at New Lexington, in the county of Perry and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful lmprovemcnt in Carpet-Stretchers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in carpet-stretchers.

The object of the invention is to provide a stretcher which may be adjusted to the width or length of a room and engaged with the edges of the carpet and the latter stretched in alinement by a single operation.

Another feature resides in the pawl mechanism which I employ as a means for adjusting the stretcher to the length or width of the room.

Finally, the object of the invention is to construct a carpet-stretcher that will be strong, durable, and etlicient, and one which will be simple and inexpensive to manufacture, and also a device in -which the several parts will not be liable to get out of working order.

'ith the above and other objects in view the invention consists of the novel details of construction and operation, a preferable embodiment of which described in the specification and illustrated in the drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation showing the stretcher in its open position. Fig. 2 is a partial longitudinal sectional view. Fig. 3 is a plan view of Fig. 2. Fig. i is a partial plan view showingthe extension end. and Fig.

5 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 1 r of Fig. i.

In the drawings the numerals 1 and 2 designate the hollow hinged sections, which are preferably rectangular in cross-section and.

connected by the hinge Extension members a and 5 telescopically engage with the sections 1 and 2 and carry at their-outer ends plates 6, formed with a plurality of teeth 7 and connected to the members by sleeves 8. Secured to the under sides of the plates and terminating flush with the apex of each tooth are a plurality of pointed angular bent lingers 9. By this ar rangement tacks may be inserted between the teeth, thus allowing a full stretch and an even spacing of the tacks or other fastening means. The member l is formed with a pair of upwardly -bent brackets 10. preferably formed integral with the member and bent up therefrom when the said member is formed. livotally mounted between the brackets is an operating-lever 11. carrying an actuating-dog 12, having a reduced end 13, adapted to engage in apertures ll along the upper central surface of the section 1, whereby said section may be moved out of the member &. A pawl 15 is pivotally mounted between the brackets an opening 16 in the member &. Pivoted at the other end of the brackets is a latch 17, also adapted to engage the apertures 1% through i an opening 18 in the member l. 'lhelatch 17 is formed with an angular face 19 near its pivot-point, against which a liat spring 20 contacts, by which it may be held in a raised position, as shown in Fig. 2. The other end of the spring 21) bears against the end of the pawl .15 for normally holding the same in engagement with the apertures 14:.

The extension member 5 is formed with a longitudinal slot 21.,through which passes the stem 22 of a set-screw 23,which has threaded 3 on its lower end a binding-plate Zl, which I latter engages the under service of the top of the member Thus it will be seen that the member 5 may be moved in or outof the section and securely locked at any point by tightening the set-screw 23 and causing the binding-plate 2t to clamp the said member against the inner upper surface of the said section \Vhen it is desired to set the stretcher to the length or width of a room, the device is laid flat on the floor and the set-screw 23 is loosened and the member 5 moved the required distance. when the screw may be tightened and the parts locked. Should this not give the desired length of stretcher, a further adjustment is made by having latch 17 raised, as shown in Fig. 2. The operator gra" ing the lever 11 moves the same forward, causing the reduced end of the dog 12 to engage in i one of the apertures 1 and slide the section and adapted to engage the apertures it through 1 outwardly until the lever 11 reaches the limit of its swing, when the pawl 16 will engage in one of the apertures 14 and hold the section extended. This may be repeated until the stretcher has been extended the desired length, when the latch 17 is pressed and caused to engage in one ofthe apertures 14;, thus locking the sections in their extended position. The stretcher now having been set to the desired length of stretch is opened at its hinge or knuckle joint, as shown in Fig. 1, and the fingers 9 engaged in the opposite ends of the carpet near its edges a distance back equal to the length of the angular portions of the fingers. Pressure now being brought to bear upon the stretcher, the same is forced downward and closed, thus stretching the carpet from wall to wall at a single operation. Should this not give a sufiicient tension on the carpet, it may be increased by raising the latch 17 and operating the lever 11, as above described, until the tension of the carpet is at the desired point and then locked by dropping the latch 17 into place. Tacks may now be inserted between the teeth 7 and the stretcher disengaged from the carpet and the stretching operation repeated until the entire carpet has been fastened to the floor.

It will be readily seen that after once adjusting or setting the stretcher to the width of a room the entire length of the carpet may be stretched without readjusting the stretcher, thus assuring an even stretching of the carpet throughout its length and obviating the liability of distorting the design of the carpet due to uneven stretching. It is-also apparent that by telescopically arranging the members and sections a very compact and simple construction is had.

I do not wish to limit myself to the exact details of construction and operation herein set forth, as I may make various changes in the same without departing from the spirit of my invention and wholly within the scope of my claims.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a carpet-stretcher, the combination with toggle-sections adapted to stretch the carpet when alined, of means for adjusting the sections to the length of the stretch subsequent to the alining of the same, and means for minutely adjusting one of the sections independently of the first named adjusting means.

2. In a carpet-stretcher, hinged sections, a lever for adjusting the sections, means for locking the sections in their adjusted position, means carried by the sections for engaging the carpet, means for guiding tacks carried on the outer ends of the sections, and means for extending one of the sections after they have been adjusted.

3. In a carpet-stretcher, toggle-sections, one

of said sections having notches therein, an extension member telescoping on the said section, a lever supported on the member, a dog carried by the lever and adapted to engage in the notches of the section, a retaining-pawl carried by the member and engaging the notches, and a latch for locking the section and the member together. 7 L. In a carpet-stretcher, the combination with hinged carpet-engaging sections, of a lever supported thereby, a dog operated by the lever for extending the sections, a retainingpawl, means for holding the pawl in or out of operative engagement, a locking-latch, and means for holding the latch in or out of locking engagement.

JAMES S. WVOODCOCK.

In presence of E. M. BRADDooK, JOSEPH VVEILAND. 

